Falafels are small chickpea patties that are sold in the streets throughout the middle east. They are famous here in New York too.
My co-workers know that Salwa’s homemade falafels are so amazing! She knew how much I loved them and made them for me often when we worked together.
SO QUICK AND EASY! They literally take under 5 minutes to make! And under 5 minutes to fry quickly! They are a great non-meat source of protein!
This is my recipe based on hers; she could never tell me exact amounts. Now some falafels are brown inside and some are green. To me, the green ones are better than the brown ones! I like the parsley taste. Another difference is the shape. Most falafels are round like a meatball, but sometimes you might see them like these, round and flat. Form the falafels into flat patties with a rounded top to cook faster and fit in the pita better. Salwa taught me how you must gently round the tops of the flat patty. You make a ball, then flatten the patty but push in the sides all around the circle to make the top rounded and the sides firm.
Alternatively you can spray a pan and bake them in the oven instead of frying them. I know a few mid-Eastern ladies who do it that way. But Salwa fried them so quickly in a skillet on top of the stove. If you blot them well with a paper towel and they are not greasy at all!
One thing more is a MUST! Serve them topped with Tahini Paste (sesame paste) in a pita wedge. Tahini Paste is a thick spread like peanut butter, but isn’t sweet. It has a strong nutty flavor from the sesame seeds. Sometimes I mix the Tahini Paste with a little lemon juice and garlic, but you don’t have to.
A GREAT BONUS: What a great way to have a non-meat, high protein meal that is low-calorie!
Don’t even be tempted to try the mix in a box! Well, go ahead, make them from the box, then try this recipe! You will see the difference! !! Trust me, no frozen bag of falafels or boxed mix falafels you can buy in the stores comes anywhere close to the taste of these homemade beauties!
SO inexpensive, SO QUICK AND EASY to make, and so good for you!
Thanks, Salwa!
See the steps how to make them in the slideshow below.
Enjoy!
Falafels
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
- ¼ onion medium
- ½ clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup parsley fresh, heaping
- ¼ cup oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and give it a few quick pulses. Do not puree it! It should be loose.
- Put it in a covered container and let it chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours to firm up.
- Remove 1/8 cup of the mixture and use your hands to shape it into a ball and then push down to make a flat patty with a rounded top and firm edges.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium high heat. Fry the falafels for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are nice dark brown and crisp. Place the cooked falafel patties on a paper towel-lined plate, blotting the tops also with a paper towel.
- Serve with pita bread and Tahini paste. Sometimes I tuck some lettuce in the pita pocket. I’ve had them served in a pita pocket with some veggies: cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and a lemon wedge. To me, they need nothing else but a dab of Tahini paste!
Definitely Debbie give these a try! They are soo good! Better than any others I’ve bought or made. But you try both and then tell me! ha-ha!
I have a recipe for these I have been wanting to try. Maybe I should go with your recipe instead!